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Home Improvement
Make it a Family Project By Kelly Burgess
Here are a couple of easy projects that can be done with children of any age:
Family Planning Center
This project consolidates things that may be in multiple areas, such as children's art work, a shopping list, the family planning calendar or documents that need to be signed and returned. First, decide on a location. Lipford suggests the side of the fridge or inside a pantry door or foyer closet. Buy cork squares 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch thick, and then decide what shape to cut them in or leave them square. To cut circles, use a pencil on a string to draw a good circle. Decide on a calendar to use and position the cork around the calendar using double stick tape or adhesive. Tack a pen to the board, perhaps on a string, to make notes. Have a place for the shopping list, the "honey do" list and plenty of room for art work. For notes about ongoing activities, use sticky notes or a small, stick-up note pad and push pins.
Private Collections
Kids often collect things, from snow globes to keys, or have collections of trophies or ribbons they've won. Lipford has helped each of his daughters make an easy, attractive shelf for displaying their collections. Start with a 2x4 and cut grooves 3/4 inches wide and half the depth of the 2x4 evenly along the length of the board. Slip pieces of 1x6 wood in the slots, using glue or nails, and graduating the width. So, for example, the top shelf would be 6 inches wide, the second shelf 12 inches, the third shelf 22 inches and the bottom shelf 32 inches. Then, use the front edge to hang ribbons or other hanging items using push pins (see photo). If you're not great with wood, Lipford suggests having the wood cut to your specifications at the Home Depot or some similar home improvement store, and then help your child prime, paint, assemble and hang.
Maintenance
